Fluorinated greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances - Background
Latest position - policy development
A consultation was launched on 11 July 2008 seeking views on proposals that carry forward the implementation of ten Commission Regulations establishing fleshed out legal requirements for companies and qualifications for personnel working in five industry sectors covered by EC Regulation 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, as well as dealing with other requirements relating to leakage checking, reporting and labelling.
Why is controlling F gases so important?
As a very stable, non-toxic family of chemicals F gases and ODS have properties that make them useful in a wide range of applications. Whilst it is properties such as stability and non-flammability that make F gases popular, they also have a high global warming potential and can contribute to climate change and are therefore detrimental to the environment.
The timescale for action will depend on how and where you use F gases and ODS.
European action
As part of the European Union’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, the Community has taken action to regulate fluorinated greenhouse gases through EC Regulation No 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (‘The F gas Regulation’). The principal objective is to contain, prevent and thereby reduce emissions of fluorinated gases (F gases).
Which EU Regulations apply?
There are two important EU Regulations:
- EC Regulation 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (the F gas Regulation), which aims to reduce emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 and whose key obligations, and came into force in July 2007.
- EC Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer (the Ozone Regulation), which phases out and controls remaining uses of ODS, and has been in force since 2000. (HCFCs are the main type of substance still to be phased out under this Regulation.)
The obligations in these Regulations are fleshed out by a number of European Commission Regulations that provide extra detail and introduce minimum requirements which must be complied with.
GB Regulations
The Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2008 (they took effect on 15 February 2008) prescribe offences and penalties applicable in Great Britain to infringements of the following provisions of the EC F gas Regulation:
- Leakages
- Leakage checking/leak detection systems
- Record keeping
- Instruction manuals
- Recovery
- Provision of information
- Placing on the market prohibitions
- Existing qualifications for personnel working on equipment
Where to get copies of the regulations
- Information Sheet GEN 4 – Links to the relevant legislation (PDF, 100 KB)
Earlier documents
See also:
Page last modified: 12 August, 2008
Page published: 24 July 2008